Key-bing



S. 0. BIGNEY.

KEY RING.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11. I916.

Patented Aug. 15,. 1916.

Jj/Z OTVZ e invrrnn erarns rarnnr oration.

SIDNEY O. BIG-NEY, OF ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS.

KEY-RING.

Application fiIed February 11, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIDNEY O. BIGNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Attleboro, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Key-Rings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a ring adapted to carry keys or similar articles, and has for its essential objects the prevention of the accidental sliding or disengagement of a sleeve or other locking device whereby the keys may accidentally escape from the ring.

Further objects are strength and inexpensiveness to manufacture.

To the above ends essentially my invention consists in such parts and combinations of parts as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front elevation of an embodiment of my invention, Fig. 2 like elevation partly in central vertical section, Figs. 3 and 4, sections on lines 3-3 and 4t respectively of Fig. 2, Figs. 5 and 6, views similar respectively to Figs. 1 and 2, showing the device unlocked, Figs. 7 and 8, sections of the latter taken on lines corresponding to the respective section lines of Fig. 2, Fig. 9, a detail view of the core of the locking member, and Fig. 10, a bottom perspective view of the shell of the locking member.

The device comprises a shank a with a closed end loop 6 upon its top and a large open loop 0 upon its lower end, the whole formed from a wire or rod of resilient ma terial. The free end of the loop is flattened as at c and provided with a lateral notch 0 A locking member comprises a cylindrical core 6 fast on the shank a which passes through an axial passage f. The core has recess g in its side, and is surrounded by an axially movable tubular shell II of somewhat greater length forming an internal chamber h, and provided with an inturned flange 72, upon its lower end. the flange extends upwardly a distance into the body of the barrel, and a second slot or recess j, less deep than slot 2', is located in the flange a distance from the slot '5 equal to the length of the recess 9. A pin 70 in the shell H extends loosely into the recess 9, so that the shell is rotatable a distance measured by the length of the recess 9.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

A slot z' in.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

Serial No.-77,585.

as follows: The end link, ring, or swivel of a key chain may pass through the eye b. When the parts are in open position, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and S, the free end of the resilient loop 0 is spaced from the member H so as to permit the keys or other articles to be placed thereon. The free loop end is manually pressed inwardly through the slot 6 into the chamber h, and the barrel I-I then turned bringing the flange it into the notch c and retaining the end of loop 0. As the turning of the barrel is continued the loop end 0 is, by the resiliency of loop 0, snapped into the recess j which axially locks the barrel, as best shown in Fig. 4.

The locking and the release of the loop end is facilitated by the pin and recess feature whereby the limit of rotation of the member D is measured by the distance between the slots 2' and j. Thus the barrel II when swung to its limit in either direction registers either in the slot 2' or the slot 7', so that the operator does not need to look at the device to operate the same. This principle is graphically shown thus. When the pin is in the position shown in Fig. 3, the loop head 0 is locked in slot 7', as shown in Fig. 4. hen the pin is in the position shown in Fig. 7 the loop head is in position to enter slot 2' as shown in Fig. 8.

What I claim is 1. In a key ring, the combination with a shank, of a resilient loop upon the shank provided with a free end, an axially movable member on the shank, and an inturned flange on one end of the member, said flange being provided with a slot extending into the member adapted to receive the loop end, and with a second slot spaced from the first slot, said loop being provided with a notch adapted to receive the flange.

2. In a key ring, the combination with a shank, of a resilient loop upon the shank provided with a free end, an axially movable member on the shank, and an inturned flange upon the member, said flange being provided with a deep slot, and with a less deep slot spaced from the first slot, said slots being adapted to respectively receive and seat the end of the loop, said loop being provided with a notch to receive the flange.

3. In a key ring, the combination with a shank, of an open loop on the shank, an axially movable member on the shank, an inturned flange on the member adapted to engage the free end of the loop and pre videol With spaced slots to respectively receive and seat the loop end, and means for limiting the axial travel of said member in both directions.

4:. In a key ring, the combination With a shank, of an open loop on the shank, a locking member comprising a core fast on the shank provided With a recess, a shell axially movable on the core, and a pin in the shell registering in the recess, and a flange on the shell adapted to engage the loop and pro viclecl With notches spaced from each other the length of said recess.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature;

SIDNEY O. BIGNEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! Patents, Washington, D. C. 

